Anchor fluke

ABSTRACT

An anchor of the twin fluke type with increased penetrating ability for hard or vegetation covered under water bottoms wherein the fluke leading edges have a plurality of indentations and the fluke leading points have sharp edges and saw-like teeth adjacent the sharp edge portion.

1Jnite States Patent 1191 Hungerford Jan. 1, 11974 [5 ANCHOR FLUKE 3,024,756 3/1962 Ogg 114/202 3,601,956 8/1971 Akermanis.... 56/229 [75] Inventor: Dame] Comstock Hungerfiord, North 2,821,217 1/1958 Shald I I 56/229 Palm Beach 3,226.149 12/1965 McJohnson... 294/49 Assigneez Brunswick Corporation, Skokie L 1,263,949 4/1918 Singer 294/49 [22] l d p 1971 Primary Examiner-Milton Buchler [21] AppL No; 178,231 Assistant ExaminerGa1en L. Barefoot Attorney-Barry L. Haley [52] 11.3. C1. 114/207 [51] Int. Cl B63b 21/26 [57] ABSTRACT 5s F1610 61 Search 114/206, 207, 208; An anchor of the twin fluke YP Wlth Increased P 52 155; 5 229 294 49 trating ability for hard or vegetation covered under water bottoms wherein the fluke leading edges have a 56 References Cited plurality of indentations and the fluke leading points UNITED STATES PATENTS have sharp edges and saw-like teeth adjacent the sharp edge portion. 3,518,957 7/1970 George; 114/208 2,738,750 3/1956 Vorenkamp 1 14/207 3 Claims, 4 Drawing Figures .PMENTEDJAN 11914 DANI EL COMSTOCK HUNGERFORD I INVENTOR.

A'TTORNEY ANCHOR FLUKE BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION This invention relates generally to anchors for marine vessels and more specifically to a twin fluke anchor having improved penetrating characteristics for anchoring in very hard under water bottoms or in areas having dense vegetation covering the bottom. Twin fluke anchors are very good for penetration in'mud or bottom areas that are not very hard. However penetration into a bottom having dense vegetation or hard mud or sand tends to make the anchor skip and slide over the bottom surface, thus not allowing the flukes to effectively penetrate the bottom and therefore reducing their holding power.

Applicants invention provides for improved fluke penetration in hard or vegetation covered surfaces by providing grasping and cutting elements upon the fluke leading edges and near fluke points.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION An anchor of the twin fluke type having a stock, a pair of flukes coupled to the stock along their trailing edges, a crown, and a shank pivotally coupled to said crown, each fluke having a leading point, a sharp pointed surface junction adjacent and in the direction of said leading point, and a plurality of indentations disposed along the forward leading edge of said fluke. The fluke leading edge indentations may be half-cylindrical in shape with the cylindrical axis disposed perpendicular to the fluke plane.

It is an object of this invention to provide an anchor with an improved penetrating fluke.

It is another object of this invention to provide a twin fluke anchor that will penetrate an under water bottom having dense vegetation.

And yet another object of this invention is to provide a twin fluke anchor that will penetrate a relatively hard under water bottom.

And still yet another object of this invention is to provide an anchor with flukes having penetrating means.

In accordance with these and other objects which will be apparent hereinafter, the instant invention will now be described with particular reference to the accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. l is a perspective view of a fluke in accordance with applicants invention.

FIG. 2 is another perspective view of applicants invention.

FIG. 3 shows a close-up view of a fluke point area in accordance with applicants invention.

FIG. d is a perspective view of an anchor in accordance with applicants invention.

PREFERRED EMBODIMENT OF THE INVENTION side of groove I8, the cutting edges 26 facing forward in the direction of the fluke point. Just behind each cutting edge 20, along each outer flange surface away from groove I8, the cutting edges 2d facing forward in the direction of the fluke point. Just behind each cut ting edge 241), along each outer flange surface away from groove Hill, are a plurality of angularly grooved segments forming a row of cutting teeth 22. The outer surfaces including teeth 22 of flanges l4 and to may be tapered inwardly toward fluke point 26.

Fluke leading edge IZA has a plurality of indentations 24 spaced along a portion of its length from fluke point 26 to the opposite side. The indentations are grooved portions extending through the entire planar thickness, and interrupt the otherwise flat leading edge surface IZA. The shape of each indentation 24 may be as a half-cylinder cut with a plane through the longitudinal axis. FIG. 2 shows the indentations spaced in approximately equal intervals along the leading edge surface I2A. The size of each indentation 254 will vary dependent upon anchor size but should be small enough to engage tubular and stem parts of under water vegetation. On a small to moderate anchor size, indentations with a one-quarter inch radius would be exemplary.

FIG. 3 shows a close-up of the fluke point 26 and adjacent cutting edges 2% formed from the joining of outer and inner surfaces of flanges M and i6 separated by flange groove 18. Saw teeth are disposed in the outer flange surface just behind cutting edges 24 FIG. 4 shows a twin fluke anchor with each fluke having cutting edges 20, teeth 22 for penetrating hard sea or river bottoms and indentations 2d along each fluke leading edge for grasping sea or river bottom vegetation causing the anchor to penetrate through the vegetation to engage the bottom soil. The flukes III are joined symetrically to stock 30 and crown 28. A shank 32 is pivotally coupled to the crown.

The standard twin fluke anchor without applicant's invention, when utilizing a standard fluke-shank angle of 32, has been found to have difficulty penetrating very hard soil bottoms or vegetation laden bottoms. In the former case the fluke points drag along the hard surface, never really getting a first bite into the surface while in the latter situation the flukes slip over the vegetation again preventing fluke point penetration. In operation as the fluke point 26 is dragged over a hard surface, the cutting edges 26) (FIG. 3) serve to bite into the very hard bottom soil while the saw teeth 22 aid in chewing into the hard surface. Once the initial penetration is achieved, fluke-shank forces will drive the rest of the fluke into the bottom. Likewise if vegetation I abounds, the flukes will slide over the leafy projections until the indentations 2d (FIG. 2) intercept and retard vegetation slidingon the leading edge 12A. This interaction will cut through the vegetation while forcing the flukes downward until the fluke points engage the bottom surface.

The cross-sectional shape of the indentations may be varied (e.g., triangular, elliptical) to provide equivalent interaction between the fluke leading edges and anticipated vegetation types.

The instant invention has been shown and described herein in what is considered to be the most practical and preferred embodiment. It is recognized, however, that departures may be made therefrom within the scope of the invention and that obvious modifications will occur to a person skilled in the art.

What I claim is: 1. An anchor fluke for improving penetration of the bottom surface of a body of water comprising:

a fluke body having a fluke point, said fluke point having a pointed cutting surface, for penetrating hard soil surfaces,

said fluke body being essentially multiedged and planar shaped, one of said edges being the leading edge, said leading edge having a plurality of semi- 2. A fluke as in claim 1, wherein:

said fluke body is a planar shaped surface of relatively small thickness, the shaped edge surfaces forming a quadrilateral trapezoid, the longer parallel edge surface joining the longer non-parallel edge surface to form the fluke point, said longer non-parallel edge surface being the fluke leading edge surface.

3. A fluke as in claim 2, wherein:

said fluke body has a flanged edge portion perpendicular to said planar surface, along the longer nonparallel edge surface, the flange end surface adjacent the fluke point having a pointed cutting surface, for penetrating hard soil surfaces. 

1. An anchor fluke for improving penetration of the bottom surface of a body of water comprising: a fluke body having a fluke point, said fluke point having a pointed cutting surface, for penetrating hard soil surfaces, said fluke body being essentially multiedged and planar shaped, one of said edges being the leading edge, said leading edge having a plurality of semi-cylindrical indentations which intercept and retard underwater vegetation sliding over said leading edge whereby said leAding edge rips and cuts through the vegetation while forcing said fluke body downward until said fluke point engages said bottom surface.
 2. A fluke as in claim 1, wherein: said fluke body is a planar shaped surface of relatively small thickness, the shaped edge surfaces forming a quadrilateral trapezoid, the longer parallel edge surface joining the longer non-parallel edge surface to form the fluke point, said longer non-parallel edge surface being the fluke leading edge surface.
 3. A fluke as in claim 2, wherein: said fluke body has a flanged edge portion perpendicular to said planar surface, along the longer non-parallel edge surface, the flange end surface adjacent the fluke point having a pointed cutting surface, for penetrating hard soil surfaces. 